anchor
ANG-ker
/ˈæŋkər/
A secure, load-bearing point of attachment made into rock, ice, or snow to support climbing ropes and safety loads.
In climbing/rescue, an anchor must hold multi-directional forces to keep climbers from falling.
The story behind the word. Ancient Greek 'ankyra' meant a curved hook or angle (related to 'ankle'). Early sailors hooked heavy iron arms into the seabed; 19th-century mountaineers took the word to describe steel bolts, ice screws, and gear jammed into rock cracks to catch a fall.
Word relationships
- fastening: Fastening is any device that holds things together; an anchor is engineered specifically to withstand huge physical loads.
- mainstay: Mainstay is figurative for vital support, whereas anchor can be physical hardware or a figurative stabilizer.
- detachment: The state of being unhitched or disconnected.
Commonly confused with
- ancillary: Ancillary means secondary or supporting; anchor is the primary structural hold.
Word family
- anchorage (noun): A secure location or mechanism where anchors are fixed.
- anchored (adjective): Firmly secured in position.
Collocations
- snow anchor
- anchor system
- solid anchor
- anchor point
Idioms & expressions
- anchor aweigh
- cast anchor
Example sentences
- "Before lowering the rescue stretcher, the technician constructed a three-point redundant anchor in the solid granite." Rope system safety
- "The calm voice of the radio operator served as a vital emotional anchor for the stranded team." Psychological support
Memory hook
ANGle your ANCHOR into solid rock so you stay attached. Secure attachment point.
When not to use
Do not confuse with simple handholds or temporary rests that cannot bear full fall forces.
Fun facts
- In mountain rescue, anchors must often support loads exceeding 20 kilonewtons—equivalent to holding the weight of a mid-sized car.
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